January 2013

We send Greetings and a Happy New Year to all the charitable Sponsors, Patrons,

Supporters, Volunteers, and Friends of the Father Joe Poor Families Program.

Mignon and I traveled to Ecuador December 10th to the 20th. This trip was another

success and a challenge to update our records with the ages and names of family

members, taking family photos, and visits with the many projects. This was a good

journey with a children’s Christmas party, a Christmas party for very poor seniors,

participation in the food bank sale, visit with the pro-life moms and saved babies, visits to

dwellings of some of the families who participate in the FJPFP, photo taking of most of

the families, review of the program issues with Monica and Esperanza, record updating, a

visit with the Carmelite nuns, sharing Masses with a number of dedicated priests, a

review of family eligibility to continue participating in the program, review of program

expenditures throughout the year for medical needs, meeting with the Caritas group,

novena with the Rotarians, and meeting with the food bank volunteers.

The funding for the Father Joe Poor Families Program is provided primarily by a loyal

group of generous people who in many cases sponsor a specific family or families in

Ecuador. Other people provide donations annually or more frequently in the form of

dollars or resalable items. These items are sold in the resale store with overflow sold in

the pole barn. Proceeds are targeted for the Father Joe Families Program, with some

degree of help to local charities and small administrative costs. The non-profit resale

store, pole barn sales in Michigan as well as the growing Amazon book store enables us

to guarantee all your donations go directly into the program and fund program shortages.

THE FATHER JOE POOR FAMILIES

PROGRAM SANTO DOMINGO DE LOS TSACHILAS, ECUADOR Fred and Mignon Attard Mission of La Dolorosa Father Joe Bitar 1915 Lavers Circle APT. E502 Founder Delray Beach, Florida 33444 -7854 1926-2007

alattard@aol.com (561) 272-6190

Cell 248-797-3691

This is a summer 2012 photo of the non-profit pole barn open for business. It was

Open on many weekends during the summer months when volunteers were available.

Below is the non-profit store which was open Thurs, Fri and Sat. for three months in

summer.

Si A La Vida “Yes To Life”

We participated in a Holy Mass celebration with the Pro-life mothers and the food bank

group. This was an especially powerful experience in that two of the mothers were

emotionally thankful for the support of your donations and the women who volunteer to

work on the prolife cause. Along with Holy Mass, we celebrated the baptism of many of

the babies, followed by a reception in the church hall

Food Program -- Programa De Viveres advocates for the hungry).

Visiting poor food bank participants offered a large bag of groceries at half the retail cost.

The non-profit food bank is another small step in addressing the food insecurity that poor

families experience. The objective is to develop a business plan to grow the food bank.

The food bank is managed by a group of three women and their husbands. They validate

the needs of the poor, buy the food and distribute it. They are successful people

themselves who also want to help the needy. They are Blanca, Beatriz and Jenny with

their helping spouses. In December, over 60 families purchased food bags at a cost far

lower than retail. Plans are to increase number of families that can participate.

Perpetual Adoration Chapel

Father Segundo is committed to providing his parishioners with the best spiritual

experience possible. He uses lively church music, evening Mass daily, exposition of the

Blessed Sacrament for the young and a chapel that is spiritually motivating.

In addition, because Fr. Segundo is a young priest with the facilities that are part of the

La Dolorosa Church, he is charged to direct the youth group for the diocese. This is a

huge task requiring many hours of energy and planning to make frequent retreat events

attractive to the youth in the diocese.

Pictured above is one of the many opportunities Fr. Segundo provides to the youth to

enjoy their faith. The above photo shows exposition for the young.

In America -- We Experience Christmas Every day. Years ago as a college student, I would pass a billboard on the lodge expressway in

Detroit that was simply a white background with the above words on it. The thought

stuck with me especially when we travel to other countries.

Confirmations; the Church is Very Alive.

After confirming 120 young people Fr, Hugo learned that Mignon and I were married 45

years, he insisted on a special blessing. Fr. Segundo used our length of marriage as a

teaching opportunity to single us out for 45 years of marriage in his Sunday sermon and

during the Christmas party to the many families.

Children's Christmas Party

Each of the families was given a box of food, along with $30.00 cash, family photos I had

taken the prior year, along with a beautifully wrapped gift for each child in the family.

For a second year we included clowns to entertain the children, again a hit.

Father Joe Loved the Carmelites. Advocates for us through prayer

Mother Elena left in photo; Sister Theresa is second to left.

The Carmelite Sisters steal our hearts every time we visit. This time they provided us

with a singing concert of three beautiful songs along with the organ playing of Mother

Elena. If you ever need to have your belief in God refreshed, visit with a few Carmelites.

Actually you may not be able to, since they are cloistered.

The sisters provided us with the treasure of the visit. They took time to share their music

and singing skills.

Senior's Christmas Party

After the Christmas party---the seniors always enjoy having their photos taken.

This ministry is performed by a group who are advocates for the elderly The Adultos

Mejores program serves 75 to 125 poor seniors. They are provided with a breakfast after

Holy Mass each month and a bag of groceries with 17 items including eggs and rice.

Medical Program Advocates for the sick Father Segundo is very conscientious in providing a good accounting of how funds are

used in the various programs. Thias program is sponsored by a family who are advocates

for the sick.

The Clean Water Project Advocates for health

We attended a Christmas novena at the home of a local Rotarian. During the visit we

learned that they were unable to commit to continuing with the clean water project. As a

result the project had been on hold during 2012. The Michigan Rotarians have raised

adequate funds to continue the project Rotarians. The Rotarians need to identify a

receptive group to move forward. We also learned that the bio-sand filter is being used

by Fr. Segundo. He commented that the water he was purchasing ferom the grocery

storesdid not match the agreeableness of the water provided by the bio sand water filter.

We learned that there are a number of people including the Bishop who use some form of

water purifier. We know that the filters are a valuable tool in health improvement. We

will encourage making more bio-sand filters available to the poor in 2013.

Bishop of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas

Advocate for priests and seminarians

Bishop Wilsom Moncayo went to heaven in 2012 after a valiant battle with cancer.

Bishop Moncayo was close to Fr. Joe Bitar as they traveled to Lebanon together so that

Fr,. Joe could function as an interpreter, Bishop Moncayo was half Lebanese but did not

speak the language.

He is replaced by Bishop Juglio Teran, who is pictured below.

Our visit with the Bishop enabled us an opportunity to update the Bishop Teran on the

various programs that make up the Father Joe Poor Families Program in his diocese. The

bishop was disappointed that it was well into our visit and we were unable to have more

time together. But we plan to resolve that issue in the next visit along with an invitation

to the Bishop to visit us in Florida if he travels through the area.

Visit with Bishop Terin, a Jesuit and multi lingual, and sharing with him the details of the

Father Joe Poor Families Program. This opened the door to more sharing.

Sharing Mass Intentions throughout the Year Advocates for suffering souls This was our third year of sharing Holy Mass intentions with the very poor priests in this

part of Ecuador). Throughout the year we share Holy Masses with 15 priests, who are

living in poor conditions among their parishioners and provide the poor with God’s

blessings.

First a tailor, then a medical doctor , then a priest. Father Luis exhibiting new ciborium from

Father Gustavo Flores. Here with Mignon, Fr. Luis’s Knights of Columbus and new vestment from

Father, Fr. Luis, Fr. Gustavo, and Fr. Andrade. a benefactor.

Fr. Lenny just returned from studying in Rome for four years. He currently teaches at the

seminary. In addition he was assigned to an old dilapidated church. His challenge is to

restore it to usability.

The Families The sponsors (advocates for the poor) now help 121 families in the Father Joe Poor

Families Program. Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas is 2943 miles from Detroit to Quito,

then another 77 miles with a challenging car trip through the Andes Mountains. A bit of a

distance away, but not really that far away. On a number of occasions we remove

families who have achieved a degree of success and they are replaced by another needy

family. Recently some families have been or will be removed from the program because

the government has stepped up assistance to families who have children with special

needs. We aim to replace them with families with children. Participation in the program

is not merely a receipt of financial aid, they become part of a support group who pray and

look for ways to improve their lives and overcome the loneliness experienced by poor

families. Every Wednesday a Holy Mass is offered for sponsors, it is well attended.

The program continues to be dynamic in many ways. The big issue in my eyes is that

education is poorly delivered to the young. The class sizes are 50 to a teacher and totally

chaotic, no parochial schools, the only positive aspect I can gather about their education

system is they all must wear uniforms. Because of limited infrastructure, the school

system is set up to provide a morning session for the first group of students then a late

afternoon session for the second set of students. I witnessed students returning home in

the evening.

Sponsored by Sponsoredby

Sewage pipes of dwellings flowing directly Sponsored by

into a ravine which feeds a river.

Traveling on the road between dwellings. Sponsored by

’

Sponsored by Father providing a neat dwelling

This young women can’t leave the dwelling as her mother is mentally ill. The mother

shaves half her head of hair among other issues. The daughter is fearful to leave her

mother alone.

An example of a dwelling of the poor, hardships include open walls, rusty roofing, cold

evenings, humid and hot days, rain and mosquitos, poor access to water, poor water

quality, crude wash facilities and safety.

La Dolorosa rectory is constantly locked. Entry is always controlled by a few select key

holders.

Every time we leave the people of La Dolorosa Parish, we leave another piece of our

hearts with them.

Blessed is he who cares for the poor for there shall be many to defend him at the

judgment.” St. Ephrem the Syrian.

Always in our hearts,

Mignon and Fred